Note: This is the second piece in a series that explores the connection between a robust transportation system and a stronger middle class. Read the first piece which sets the tone for a much needed national conversation.
Around the globe, the race is on to bring the world’s fastest trains — which top speeds nearing 400 miles per hour — to commuters, travelers and business professionals alike. China is devoting billions with hopes for leading the world in rail innovation. Japan is continually making improvements to its 50-year-old system. Countries throughout Europe are expanding upon thousands of miles of high-speed rail track, which run from the south of Spain to Berlin, Oslo and Edinburgh. Meanwhile, the U.S., once known for its transportation innovations, is struggling to catch up.
Instead of embracing the future of modern transportation, some elected officials in the U.S. fail to see the value of passenger rail as part of an integrated network. Many of those same officials are also more than willing to starve the rest of our badly aging transportation system. Our national passenger rail system is continually threatened with bankruptcy budgets by politicians who ignore their constituents and oppose federal support for Amtrak.
Read more in The Huffington Post.
Related News
- 2026 Railroad Retirement and Unemployment Insurance Tax Changes
- SMART-TD Members on UP Properties Ratify Five-Year Agreement
- Railroader’s Son to Perform at Carnegie Hall
- Rail Trespassing and Suicide Fatalities Up 70%
- Help the McLucas Family After Fire Destroys Their Home
- SMART-TD’s Chris Smith Wins City Council Seat in Tama, Iowa
- Railroader Healthcare Costs Remain Stable While National Averages Soar
- Call to Action in Mass.: Transit Safety Legislation Up for Final Vote
- New Jersey’s “Vote Labor” Push led by SMART-TD’s Ron Sabol
- Stand with Sister Nydia Sandoval on Monday!